Today marks a significant milestone in the annals of the greatest band of in the history of humankind, KC & the Sunshine Band. That's right, I said it: Greatest Band Ever. Thirty-four years ago today, "Get Down Tonight" hit #1 on the Billboard charts, giving KC the first of five #1 songs. Some may talk about Bach or Sousa or Gershwin or Lennon & McCartney, but no one, and I mean no one tops the compositional genius of Harry Wayne Casey (as in "KC") and his collaborator, Richard Finch.
The great thing about KC & the Sunshine Band is that it was happy music all the time. Yeah, yeah, people say that KC's music was not socially relevant or meaningful in any way. Good. If I wanted a sermon, I'd go to church. If your cat ate your canary, then your cat was in turn eaten by the dog, who then ran into traffic and was flattened by a truck and you then put on a KC & the Sunshine Band record, you'd be happy again in 10 minutes. After all happy is the goal in life, isn't it?
Anyway, check out the video below from what looks like the stage of The Midnight Special. Check out the funky dance line about half way through. Three-quarters of the way through, you'll be dancing, too, and smiling. You know you will.
You should write a blog on The Midnight Special. Also, what 21 year old can say she has seen KC & the Sunshine Band twice?
Posted by: Becky | August 26, 2009 at 03:54 PM
You can! You're so lucky.
Posted by: Austin | August 26, 2009 at 04:32 PM
I just realized that KC was the Vanilla Ice of his era--- that should put it in perspective for you young'ns.
For me during that time period I was way more about Leif Garret and the Bay City Rollers S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y NIGHT!
Posted by: Melissa Dodge | August 26, 2009 at 08:30 PM
KC's line is, "We were your mother's Backstreet Boys!"
Posted by: Austin | August 26, 2009 at 09:31 PM
I was always more partial to "Shake Your Booty" than "Get Down Tonight." I used to always send the Youtube video to people when they were feeling cranky. I think it helped them..
Posted by: Anna Kipps | August 27, 2009 at 09:29 AM
That's funny, Anna, because I like "Shake Your Booty" better as well. September 5th marks the anniversary of that record reaching #1. "Do You Wanna Go Party" might be the KC song of them all.
Posted by: Austin | August 27, 2009 at 11:23 AM